1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to labels, tags, indexing tabs and the like which are removably and self-adhesively secured to a carrier sheet which has a standard, predetermined size compatible for use with a computer based software program or word-processor template pre-configured to print indicia on the index tabs using computer compatible laser printers, inkjet printers, thermal resistive transfer printers, custom label printers, impact printers, and similar printing devices, which index tabs may be transferred after printing from the carrier sheet onto a document, file folder, sheets of material or other desired surface to be labeled, tagged or indexed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Efforts have been made in the past to develop label or index tabs which are compatible with a variety of computer printers for printing of indicia directly on the labels for creating custom label or index tabs having a professional appearance. One such product is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,261 issued to Cusack et al. on Aug. 4, 1992 which discloses an index tab label assembly having a divider sheet with an integral tab protruding from a side edge. The assembly includes a sheet of pressure sensitive label material affixed with a releasable, pressure sensitive adhesive to a backing sheet. The label material is perforated in a series of rows and columns thereby creating labels sized to fit over the integral tabs of the dividers. The sheet is passed through a laser printer or similar printing device to print indicia on the label material. Thereafter, the individual labels are peeled from the backing sheet and affixed to the integral tabs to create custom labeled divider tabs.
Disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,571,587 issued to Bishop et al. on Nov. 5, 1996 is a sheet stock assembly compatible for use with computer printers to print indicia on the sheet stock. In one embodiment, a backing sheet is formed with a label material which in combination are pre-scored with perforations to form peelable labels having various desired shapes and sizes. After printing on the label material has been completed, the label is peeled apart from the backing sheet and affixed with a pressure sensitive adhesive to a desired document surface. In another embodiment, the sheet stock assembly comprises a heavy weight paper stock fabricated with pre-scored perforation having the shape of either a file divider card or a Rolodex.TM. type address card. Once indicia have been printed on the blank sheet stock, the sheet stock may be separated at the perforations forming the respective file divider sheet or address card. The leftover material removed when the perforations are separated is discarded.
Similar methods and devices are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,503,435 issued to Kline on Apr. 2, 1996, U.S. Pat. No. 4,560,600 issued to Yellin et al. on Dec. 24, 1985, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,676 issued to Donnelly et al. on Jun. 23, 1992.